Sustainable fashion steps forward: Sokos and Emmy open second-hand departments in Helsinki

By admin On Mar 11, 2024

The first Emmy Second Hand store was opened at the Sokos in Tampere in 2023. The collaboration will expand to Helsinki in March.

In a significant move towards sustainable consumerism, Finnish department store chain Sokos, in partnership with Emmy, is set to open dedicated second-hand clothing departments in its Helsinki store on March 18th. This initiative aims to bring sustainable shopping options closer to everyday life, making it easier for consumers to make eco-friendly choices.

This collaboration, which began with the opening of Emmy’s first second-hand store in Sokos Tampere in 2023, is expanding to the capital in response to a growing demand among Finns for sustainable fashion choices.

According to a survey conducted by the S Group, 62% of respondents have purchased second-hand clothing, with 40% of those planning to increase their consumption of such items.

Convenient Sustainable Shopping

The new departments in Helsinki’s central Sokos will offer a curated selection of high-quality, second-hand clothing and accessories for women and children, located on the second floor. Men’s second-hand fashion will be available on the fourth floor. Special attention has been given to the presentation of these items, ensuring a diverse and accessible range of sizes, colors, and styles.

Sanna Mäenpää, the store manager, expressed enthusiasm about assisting customers in discovering their style and making sustainable choices. “By bringing second-hand fashion closer to daily errands, we’re making it even easier to make sustainable choices,” Mäenpää said.

A Nationwide Effort for Sustainable Consumption

The Sokos and Emmy collaboration aims to facilitate the purchase and recycling of second-hand fashion throughout Finland. Emmy collection boxes are available in all 20 Sokos department stores across the country, from Porvoo to Rovaniemi and from Kuopio to Pori. This partnership is expected to significantly impact the recycling of clothing in Finland.

Sienna Kruk, Chief Operating Officer of Emmy Clothing Company Oy, highlighted the potential for growth in the second-hand market, which currently represents only 1–2% of Finland’s four billion euro clothing market. “We believe that our expanding collaboration will substantially increase the market for used clothes,” Kruk explained.

Satu Kattilamäki, HOK-Elanto’s sustainability manager, emphasized the promotion of the circular economy as a key part of their responsibility program. “We want to encourage our customers to make sustainable choices and invite everyone to join us on the journey towards a new normal in sustainable consumption,” Kattilamäki remarked.

Insights from the Consumer Survey

The S Group’s survey, which garnered responses from 1,227 of its co-op members, revealed that affordability and sustainability are the main reasons Finns buy second-hand clothing. The uniqueness and good value for money of such items are also important to consumers. Challenges in finding the right sizes, lack of time, difficulties with online purchases, concerns about quality, and insufficient local offerings were cited as obstacles to buying second-hand fashion.

The survey also showed that young people and women are particularly likely to purchase second-hand clothing. Respondents view second-hand clothing consumers as responsible, sensible, and “just ordinary people,” with a small minority seeking to stand out by wearing second-hand fashion. Nearly 60% of respondents are indifferent to whether others know they wear second-hand clothes, indicating a normalization of sustainable fashion choices among Finns.

Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi